Supermarkets in Shetland - prices, ethics and experiences

[daveh]

I would like Tesco to re-commence giving out Green Shield stamps. I'm sure I've got an unfinished book somewhere.

[breeksy]

this is freaky...they are the items i went to Tescos for and failed to get...are you my neighbour ?

 

LOL - nope, I'm a bit further north than you are!

[Guest posiedon]

It would seem there's controversy wherever Tesco go.

It appears neither the folk nor the council wanted this development.

As one of the comments after the article said.

This is profoundly wrong. People and Council have voted no to have this monstrous proposal through a democratic process and then a singular man with no accountability overturns the decision.

But they're getting it anyway.

Some interesting comments respond to the story.

[PJ of Hildisvik]

I assume Posiedon that you dont shop at Tesco. For the first time Shetland has a supermarket that supplies my familys needs without being ripped off.For the first time we can buy fruit and veg that are going to last more than 6 hours after arriving home.

It's little things like this that make Tesco the biggest name in this buisness in the United Kingdom. We havn't got the full Tesco service here yet, but we will, because more feet will enter this store than any previous supermarket thats been up here before. It's no more than the people of Shetland deserve. Thanks to Tesco.

[Guest posiedon]

PJ of Hildisvik

I assume Posiedon that you dont shop at Tesco.

You're dead right I don't, and won't on ethical grounds.

As I've already said earlier, I won't buy anything that comes from the sweatshops of China either, for the same reasons.

[dippydi]

OK. For my 2p worth with all this: Tesco have a National Pricing Policy which flexes very well to individual circumstance (including higher prices in low competitor zones).

BUT what I want to know now, in all of this 'Oh Heil the great Tesco' debate is, why a pint of milk at the co-op costs 45p, and a 2 pints of the same milk at Tesco cost more than a pound?? I am of course talking about our own very local Shetland milk here, and I am gobsmacked that there is anyone left on this whole planet who cannot see where this is all going.

Even (all hail to the almighty) Tesco managed to get its supply chain in a faff this week - I wouldn't think it would take a super-brain (or even a company with a HUGE marketting department) to realise that a new store opening with a great fan-fare would be bound to attract a lot of custom. But already they have had empty shelves in certain departments, and already they are posting excuses.

And as a separate thought: the Co-op has an excellent range of fresh veg and fruit.......and mostly it is RIPE, and quite a lot of it comes from Fairtrade (or even Scottish) sources. whereas quite a lot of Tescos 'wide range' is simply rubbish - a cardboard cutout of the real stuff (under-ripe and so under-ripe it will never ripen even on sunny windowsills).

I am amazed that anyone is buying the hype.

Has anyone out there got any ideas about how we might form a local food network to protect and encourage our local food suppliers?

I'd be all for that!

[breeksy]

Yes, great idea dippydi, I would love to be able to go to a "shetland shop" to buy local veg and meat and anything else that was available.

 

Maybe we should start a community co-operative!

[Muppet]

BUT what I want to know now, in all of this 'Oh Heil the great Tesco' debate is, why a pint of milk at the co-op costs 45p, and a 2 pints of the same milk at Tesco cost more than a pound?? I am of course talking about our own very local Shetland milk here, and I am gobsmacked that there is anyone left on this whole planet who cannot see where this is all going.

 

I'm not sure I know what's going on with the price of milk, but Tesco is now selling a litre of Shetland milk for 82p.

 

As I posted earlier, they were charging £1.04, and the following day when I was in the co-op, I made a point of checking their price, and the price on the shelf for 1 litre was most definately £1.04. Seems like theres something askew in both stores, not just Tesco.

 

As far as I can see, Tesco are operating a bright clean store with plenty of choice at a good price. If they prosper, it's because they are providing a service that shoppers want.

 

Here's hoping that the work going on in the Co-op can improve that place so that we have a choice of 2 decent stores.

[insouciant]

I'm almost 100% sure that the price of a 1 litre carton of Shetland milk in the Co-op has never been £1.04...

 

And what's so deplorable about the current Co-op? Tesco, to me, seems awfully claustrophobic with narrow aisles and all the shelves towering overhead with the highest shelf totally unreachable. There's a wall FULL of cheap 2 slice toasters. Everyone surely must have a toaster and it's not a model you'd consider upgrading to either. Shelves were mostly bare when I went in, the area beside the deli proclaiming "fruit and veg" above was a dark mass of upturned green boxes.

 

Their prices seemed quite good in that their cream cheese offer was 6p cheaper than the Co-op and their bakery bread was cheaper but I can't say I've eaten any of it so I can't say anything about the quality...

[daveh]

Just out of interest - can you buy Shetland cheese? In both the Co-op and Tesco, I have seen several Orkney cheeses but none from our islands. Assuming I haven't missed it, why is that?

[insouciant]

Shetland makes cheese?

[daveh]

Exactly...

[Guest Anonymous]

One or two of you are starting to realise that a dream is only a dream until you wake up.

[MitzyMu]

Back to my original comment, it is individual choice where to shop and what to buy but would have thought genuine debate would be preferable to vitriolic comments.

Each time a business opens up here there will always be positives and negatives and that also depends on personal opinions, which either want to condemn or condone.

Tesco will get their ratios right to match the isles needs and suss out deliveries, just give them a chance, at least there's positives on the employment side and before anyone starts moaning about hours, some people choose to work part-time because it suits their life style and other commitments.

As Budda says kindness should become the natural way of life not the exception.

and no I'm not a Buddist but someone who balances all views.

[PJ of Hildisvik]

Whether we shop at Tesco....Coop, or just locally, i think we would all like to see more Shetland food available.

Why is there not a larger variety of fish?, where is all the Shetland hill lamb?, is there any Organic farmed Salmon available any more.

It's difficult to expand on Shetland own fruit and veg on a large scale, unless continental drift takes us 1000 miles south!, i know those of us who have a greenhouse would state differently, bit i'm talking enough food to supply a big chunk of the Isles over several months .

Yes i do think Tesco is the best thing to happen for shoppers up here, but if Co-op deliver a store to match one of their Flagship stores from the south, i would go there too.